1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to circuit board mounting devices and, more specifically, to threaded attachment points used to attach components to a circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mechanical components, such as, by way of example, face plates, brackets, or other hardware, are commonly attached to circuit boards. Typically, these mechanical components are attached using a screw, nut, and one or more washers, which must be manually assembled. For example, an assembly person will appropriately place a mechanical component on a circuit board. The person will then insert the screw, along with a washer, through the mechanical component and the circuit board, and fasten the nut, along with another washer, to the protruding screw underneath the circuit board.
One major drawback with the aforementioned conventional method of attaching a mechanical component to a circuit board is the need to access both sides of the circuit board to properly attach the mechanical component. It may not be convenient to provide access to the bottom of the motherboard to fasten the nut to the screw during the production process. Another drawback is that the screw, nut, and one or more washers has to be manually assembled, which introduces additional cost and time to the circuit board manufacturing process.
A further drawback to using screws, nuts, and washers to attach mechanical components is the increase in the number of parts that must be inventoried and handled during the manufacturing process. These parts are typically small, and the parts can easily be mishandled. Moreover, these additional parts introduce a further cost and time to the circuit board manufacturing process.
What is desired is an apparatus that will enable a mechanical component to be attached to a circuit without requiring the use of a washer and nut. Furthermore, an apparatus that will enable a mechanical component to be attached to a circuit board without requiring access to an underside of the circuit board is also desired.